The Fantastic Four
by LuckyDuck777
Summary: Derek, Mark, Arizona, and Arizona's brother, Cody have been best friends since childhood. Explores their childhood adventures as well their adult life complications.
1. McDreamy 20

**Title:** The Fantastic Four  
**Author:** Hopelessgirl22  
**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona with Mark/Arizona/Derek friendship  
**Rating:** PG13  
**Summary: **Derek, Mark, Arizona, and Arizona's brother, Cody have been best friends since childhood. Explores their childhood adventures as well their adult life complications.  
**Dis****claimer: **I don't own anything!

**McDreamy 2.0**

**MAY 2010**

Arizona loved her job. She loved almost everything about it, tiny coffins aside, of course. She loved the joy it brought. She loved each and every one of her patients. She loved the city she worked in. She even loved the hectically merged hospital she worked at. Above all though, she loved the people she worked with. There was Lexie Grey who had a tremendous amount of talent and even reminded Arizona, a little of herself when she was a resident. Sure she sometimes had to play the bad guy card with her, but Arizona knew it was to Lexie Grey's benefit. There was Alex Karev who seemed a bit rough around the edges but Arizona grew to learn that he had extraordinary instincts in PEDS. There was Owen Hunt who she had grown to love and respect not only because he was a patriot of their country, but because he too was a good man in a storm. The two of them often had to keep each other company when their girlfriends went a little crazy on them. But the people she enjoyed working with the most, besides her wonderful girlfriend Calliope, were her big brothers Derek Shepherd and Mark Sloan, no matter how much they made her mad. Technically, they weren't really siblings, but they had been best friends growing up. Arizona and Derek's mothers were in the same birthing class when Rebecca Robbins was pregnant with the twins, Arizona and Cody, and Carolyn Shepherd was pregnant with Derek. The three Arizona, Cody, and Derek were inseparable and considered themselves The Three Musketeers for the first few years of their life. It wasn't until first grade that they were separated to attend different elementary schools, but they still played together on weekends and sometimes after school. It was around that time that Derek met Mark, and Carolyn noticed how absent Mark's parents were. From that moment on, Mark practically lived at the Shepherd household and grew very close to Derek, Arizona, and Cody. The pact decided it was time to change their name from The Three Musketeers to The Fantastic Four.

When they hit their teen years, Arizona's mother began to worry because her daughter spent every waking minute with the three boys. She wanted her daughter to have a good reputation and encouraged her spend more time with Nancy, Derek's old sister, and Jen, Derek's younger sister. Arizona, however, would rather spend her free time shooting hoops, or playing soccer with her best friends. It was also hard for her three best friends because they saw her as their sister and they were very protective of her. However, all of the guys at their school, saw her as the hottest piece of ass they had ever seen, and made every attempt to win her over. Cody and Mark ended up in the nurses office with bloody nose quite a bit while Derek opted to stay out of any sort of conflict.

"Dr. Robbins," Derek greeted Arizona as he walked up to her at the Pediatric wing nurses station.

"Dr. Shepherd," Arizona smiled as she handed him the chart of a new patient she had inherited early that morning. "Seven year old, Maggie Lopez. Came in yesterday diagnosed with a brain tumor," Arizona informed him.

Derek nodded with a sad sigh, "Let me go take a look." Derek hated seeing sick children and he often wondered how Arizona made it through each day seeing all those sick children. Then again, he also knew that Arizona was a lot stronger than him. Derek took a step away from the nurses station but felt Arizona's tiny hands pull him back. He looked her in the eye and saw the pout that he always gave in to. Oh no, he thought.

"There is something else," Arizona bit her bottom lip. "The family doesn't have any sort of health insurance and the chief won't approve any more pro-bono cases. I can refer him to a different hospital, but I really like this kid, Derek, and you're the best."

Derek smirked a bit, "You want to go rogue? Arizona Robbins wants to go rogue." Derek had to chuckle at the thought because he knew that Arizona was a sucker for rules. She always had been. When they were kids, she was always the more logical one. If it weren't for her, he was pretty sure he and Mark would not be where they were today.

"I know that its a lot to ask of you, but she really needs this surgery," Arizona nervously began playing with her heart necklace that Calliope had given her for her birthday.

"I have no problem going rogue," Derek laughed, "I'm all for going rogue. The question is, are you sure you want to go rogue?" Derek asked.

"I'm sure. Once you see this little girl you will understand." Arizona smiled as she looped her arm through Derek's and guided him through the Pediatric wing. Derek followed Arizona into one of the rooms where they found a beautiful brown-eyed, brunette lying in her bed reading a book.

"Hey Maggie, where did your parents go?" Arizona asked looking around at the somewhat empty room. Since she had only been there overnight, they hadn't had time to put up any sort of decorations to make herself feel at home.

Maggie shrugged, "Hi Arizona. I think they went to talk to my Aunt on the phone."

"Okay, well, Maggie, this is one of my very closest friends, Dr. Shepherd. He will be operating on you." Arizona introduced the two.

Derek bent down and shook the little girls hand, "Nice to meet you, Maggie." Derek gave her his McDreamy smile.

"Nice to meet you, too." Maggie replied shyly.

"What are you reading there?" Derek asked as he began doing a routine exam.

"Harry Potter," Maggie smiled, "I love Ron."

Derek chuckled, "I'm a bit of a Harry Potter geek, myself."

"You read Harry Potter, too?" Maggie's eyes widened, "Arizona did you hear that?"

"I heard. I'm the one that got him into Harry Potter actually." Arizona informed Maggie.

"Just like me!" Maggie exclaimed as she closed her book and put it on the nightstand. "Did you know Arizona is the one that gave me that book?"

"I did not know that," Derek replied sweetly looking up at Arizona, "She's a very nice doctor, isn't she?"

"She's the best. No offense, Dr. Shepherd. You're a close second." Maggie reached for the remote and began to casually flip through the channels.

"Close second," Arizona smirked at Derek, who rolled his eyes.

Derek continued to check over her before looking up and giving Arizona a small nod.

"Alright Maggie, we're going to step right out there. Call us if you need anything, okay?" Arizona asked sweetly before following Derek out of the room.

"So?" Arizona asked softly.

"It's not bad, but it's not good, Zona." Derek whispered, "We need to get in there soon. I'll talk to Hunt about getting him to move back one of his surgeries. You need to get a couple residents in on the case and maybe a few scrub nurses," Derek turned to walk away before pivoting back around, "Not Rose!" Derek told her forcefully.

Arizona smirked before throwing her head back laughing, "That was one time, and it was because you were being such a little jerk that day."

Derek laughed, "I was not! Mark's the one that made the dirty joke, I simply laughed."

"My relationship with Calliope is not a punchline!" Arizona replied as she slapped Derek in the shoulder.

"Ouch! You wounded me," Derek pouted, "And here I'm going rogue for you."

"Sorry," Arizona apologized with a roll of her eyes, "but seriously no Rose this time. I can't have your perfect two million dollar hands massacred by the psycho."

"It's much appreciated." Derek smiled before continuing his way down the hallway.

* * *

"So who's guarding the door?" Derek asked Arizona as they stood in the OR. Arizona was practically hovering over his shoulder watching every little cut he made.

"Callie and Mark," Arizona giggled at the thought. When she first moved to Seattle after her brother died, and got involved with Callie, she had no idea about the history between Callie and Mark. It was quite a shock when it was revealed how everyone knew each other, but they all learned how to laugh it out.

"Oh boy," Derek laughed along, "And... you and Callie. That still going strong?"

"Yeah, definitely. It's super," Arizona grinned.

"Good," Derek smiled as he continued working. The OR fell into a comfortable silence after that.

"You know, we're kind of making history here at Seattle Grace," Lexie stated, breaking the silence. She stood beside Arizona, peering inside the brain of little girl.

"There will be no more going rogue for me after this," Arizona announced to the OR, "and I am really thankful for every ones help in this. I know it's a risk, but we really are giving this girl her life back." Arizona smiled as she looked over at Derek proudly.

"What she means is, there will be no more going rogue for her until she gets another cute little kid on her service that gives her puppy dog eyes," Derek corrected her as he focused intently on his work.

Arizona shrugged shamelessly, "Can you blame me? You all saw the girl." All of the nurses and doctors nodded in agreement with smiles hidden underneath their scrub masks.

Cristina, who was on Derek's side, look around at the room and noticed all the male nurses and even some of the female nurses looking lustfully at Arizona as she thanked them all for their gracious time. Cristina turned to Jackson Avery who was to her right and muttered under her breath, "She's like McDreamy 2.0."

"McWhat? What's that?" Jackson's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Never mind," Cristina rolled her eyes remembering that most of the newbies hadn't caught up on all the SGH lingo.

"Great job everyone," Derek smiled as he pulled off his gloves.

"Thank you so much DerBear." Arizona grinned as she skipped out of the OR after him.

"Anything for you, Zona." Derek teased back. Arizona rolled her eyes before scrubbing out.

* * *

"Hey word around the hospital is that you..." Callie came up to Arizona outside the hospital and slipped her hand into Arizona's. "...Are..." Peck on the lips. "McDreamy 2.0"

"McDreamy 2.0?" Arizona looked over at Callie incredulously as they continued their walk back to Callie's apartment.

"Mhmm," Callie nodded. "I'm dating McDreamy 2.0," Callie clapped her hands excitedly. "Suck on that Meredith Grey."

"This hospital never changes," Arizona laughed, "I feel honored that I finally got a McName."

"You should be," Callie replied seriously, "Only the best get McNames."

Arizona giggled at Callie's excitement. "Why do they call me that?"

"It's the dimples," Callie smiled as she leaned over and kissed Arizona's dimples. "And the eyes." Callie gazed lovingly into Arizona's blue eyes. "And your shiny hair."

"My shiny hair?" Arizona laughed. "Really? Because I am pretty sure that, that is what people look at when they look at me."

"It's very shiny," Callie nodded, "And it's soft, and when people look at you they see everything that you are inside and our, plus your beautiful shiny hair." Callie let go of Arizona's hand and ran it through Arizona's hair. "And also, you care about your patients. They aren't just cool surgeries to scrub in on. They are human beings, and you love them."

"I do," Arizona nodded slowly, "and I love you." Arizona grinned.

"I love you too." Callie whispered before leaning in and kissing Arizona.

"So," Arizona broke the kiss with a sly look, "What's your McName?"

Callie got a devious glint in her eyes, "How about I show you?"

Arizona's eyebrows shot up, "Ooh," Arizona let out a small gasp when she felt Callie's arm pull her in closer to her side. "That sounds awesome," Arizona grinned.

TBC...


	2. Lip Balm

Title: The Fantastic Four  
Author: Hopelessgirl22  
Pairing: Callie/Arizona with Mark/Arizona/Derek friendshipa  
Rating: PG13  
Summary: Derek, Mark, Arizona, and Arizona's brother, Cody have been best friends since childhood. Explores their childhood adventures as well their adult life complications.  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

**Lip Balm**

**1983**

"Arizona, come here please," Rebecca Robbins called from the kitchen to her eight year old daughter who was laying on the sofa watching cartoons. Rebecca was a tall beautiful blonde mother, who met her husband at the young age of 18. Everyone told them they were far too young to truly understand love, but knew what they really were. They ignored everyones warnings and followed their hearts. Five years later, after Jack Robbins graduated from college, they decided to start their own family. To their surprise they were not only blessed with a beautiful baby boy, but they were graced with the presence of their little princess, Arizona Robbins.

"Yes, Ma'am?" Arizona asked as she ran into the kitchen and hopped onto one of the counter stools. She was wearing a red t-shirt with some short denim overalls.

"Go put some shoes on and tell your brother to put his shoes on too. You two are going to spend the night at the Shepherds. They're having a sleepover, and invited the two of you to go." Rebecca informed her daughter.

"Yes! I love going over to the Shepherds." Arizona cheered as she jumped off the stool excitedly.

"Wait just a second there, young lady." Rebecca laughed at her daughters antics as she reached over and kneeled down in front of her daughter. "Now, I know you love the boys, and they love you too, but sometimes boys like to do their own things."

"Like what?" Arizona asked innocently. She had never gotten the impression that Cody, Derek, and Mark didn't want her around because they were always so eager to have her play with them.

"Well," Rebecca looked up in thought trying to come up with an activity, "Well, like watching football."

"But I love watching football," Arizona told her mother quickly.

Rebecca nodded in defeat, "Well, wrestling. Those boys love to get violent, and a little girl like yourself should not be getting involved with that," she pointed out.

Arizona smiled at her Mom, "Mommy, I can beat up Cody, Derek, AND Mark with one hand," Arizona told her mother, stressing the 'and.'

"True," Rebecca remarked with a smirk, "Well, don't you just want to play dolls with Nancy and the girls?"

Arizona's forehead wrinkled in confusion, "But, Mom, they never even want to play dolls, and I don't even like Nancy, and she doesn't like me. Jen's alright, but she just wants to put on stupid make-up. They also like to talk about stupid boys." Arizona crossed her arms in a pout.

"Oh, honey, you don't think boys are stupid. You love Derek, Mark, and Cody," Rebecca ran her hands through Arizona's golden locks.

"I know, but that's different. They're nice to me. All the other boys in our class are stupid and mean," Arizona informed her mother.

"That's because they like you," her mother laughed. She wasn't lying. Almost every boy in their class had a crush Arizona, even if they didn't want to admit it.

Arizona shook her head, "Well that's not how you treat people you like."

"Well maybe that's not how you treat people you like, but that's because we raised you better. Arizona, sweetie, will you at least try and have fun with Nancy?" Rebecca asked her daughter sweetly.

Arizona sighed, "I guess so, Mommy. If I have to."

"Thanks honey." Rebecca pulled her daughter into a tight hug before releasing her and kissing her forehead. "Now go get your chucks on and tell your brother to hurry up also."

Arizona nodded in agreement and eagerly ran up the stairs of their house to her room and grabbed her red converse. Unlike her brother's dark army green walls, her walls were a light green and a aqua blue color. Her room was a typical girls room, with beautiful white furniture with a giant window looking out into their large backyard. She loved everything about it, especially the fact that it was directly across her brothers room. Easy access for when she had nightmares.

"Cody," Arizona knocked on her brothers door before entering. When she heard the okay to enter, she slowly cracked open the door to peer in. Her brother was sitting on the floor in the middle of his room playing with his army men.

"Hey Zona," Cody replied as he looked up and smile that showed off the dimples that matched his sisters.

"Mommy said we're spending the night at the Shepherds, so get your shoes on," Arizona told her brother as she bent down and grabbed his converse that laid on the doorway.

"Alright. Is Mark going to be there too?" Cody asked as he got up and took the shoes from Arizona.

"I'm pretty sure," Arizona nodded, "He always is."

"Good point. Well let's hope he is. We can team up and play soccer in their backyard," Cody grinned, "We will kill them if we're on the same team." Both Arizona and Cody had a great talent and passion for the sport and practiced almost everyday. Derek always complained that they were only better because they had each other to practice on while all of his sisters did Ballet.

"Can't," Arizona frowned as she slumped down onto the ground and slipped on her shoes.

"Why?" Cody asked, "Aren't you going too?"

"Yeah, but Mommy says I have to play with Nancy and Jen," Arizona began tying her shoelaces.

"Why would you want to do that? Nancy is such a dweeb!" Cody shook his head furiously.

"I know!" Arizona let out a sigh of frustration. "It's just one night, though. Maybe I will even have fun."

"That's highly unlikely. Just scream, and I'll come save you from her." Cody joked.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Come on, Mom's waiting downstairs."

* * *

"Arizona, do you want some lip balm, too?" Nancy asked offering her one of her lip balms. Arizona looked around Nancy's room at the other girls sitting in a circle like some sort of cult and noticed they were all wearing pink and purple pajamas, while she choice to wear some of Cody's old pajama shorts and on of her soccer t-shirts. This wasn't exactly what she would call fun and ll she wanted to do was run to Derek's room to play video games with her real friends.

"I think she needs a light shade of Pretty Rose Pink," Jen noted as she looked at Arizona in deep thought.

"Me too," Nancy agreed as she dug into her princes bag and handed her a lip balm. "There you go."

Arizona stared at the stick and looked up at the girls in horror. "I'd rather not, thanks," she whispered politely.

"Suit yourself," one of the girls replied as she leaned over and took it from Nancy.

"Oh that's a beautiful shade on you, Lila," one of the girl gushed. Arizona concluded that she really needed to get herself out of there. Pronto.

"I'm going to go get some water. I'll be right back," Arizona excused herself from Nancy's room and took off in a mad dash toward Derek's bedroom, which technically was the basement. He didn't mind having the basement at all. He actually loved it because it was like his own little home away from the madness of his sisters.

As she made her way through the kitchen, with the staircase leading down to Derek's room, she collided with a taller familiar figure.

"Whoa there, Zona. What's the rush?" Michael Shepherd laughed as he held onto Arizona's shoulders so she didn't fall due to the impact. Michael Shepherd was the sanest person in the Shepherd household. He was very down to earth and always had a rational opinion on matters.

"I- uh..." Arizona looked around the kitchen nervously before looking back up at him and giving him her mega watt smile, "...was getting some water."

"Liar. Liar. Pants on fire." Michael teased, "Not having fun up there with the girls, huh?" Michael picked Arizona and sat her on the counter. Arizona shrugged sheepishly and began swinging her legs.

"Well, Nancy is being really nice and everything, but I hate all that goop that they stick on their face," Arizona explained as she watched Michael turn around and grab the carton of milk from the fridge.

"I hate all that goop they stick on their face too," Mr. Shepherd informed Arizona as poured them two glasses of milk. "You kids should be enjoying your childhood and not trying to act like you're twenty. Here you go," He handed her a glass of milk and a couple of homemade cookies.

"Thanks." Arizona smiled as she took a bite into the cookie.

"No problem, but what I'm trying to say is, what's the rush? You have plenty of crazy teenage years to wear make-up. You should all be playing with Barbies or something," Michael shrugged.

"I like Barbies," Arizona admitted, "Sometimes, I make the boys play with me, and usually they don't mind." Michael Shepherd had to laugh at the thought of the boys playing Barbies with Arizona, because he knew that Derek would never be caught dead playing Barbies with his own sisters.

"You just want to go play with those silly boys downstairs, don't you?" Michael asked.

Arizona nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, they are so much funner."

"I'll agree with you there," Michael smiled. "Well, if you want to go hang out with those boys, who am I to stop you?" Michael joked.

"Really?" Arizona as looking up at Michael with a hopeful look. "I can go?"

"Of course, go on," Michael told her as he reached for Arizona's hand to help her off the counter.

"Thanks Mr. Shepherd," Arizona smiled as she gulped her milk down. She quickly hugged him tightly at the waist and ran toward the stairs.

* * *

"Zona!" The boys shouted in excitement when they saw her coming down the stairs.

"Came to join the real party?" Mark smirked smugly with his arms folded across his chest.

Arizona rolled her eyes, "Yeah, because you all look like you're having so much fun," Arizona motioned over to the stack of playing cards.

"Well all my games are for two or four players," Derek explained, "but now that you're here, things are really going to get fun!" All the boys nodded eagerly.

"How was it up there?" Cody asked his sister.

"They tried to put pink stuff on my lips!" Arizona cried out in horror. Cody and Mark both gasped out in shock and Derek nodded understandingly.

"Lip balm. They chase me around with that stuff all the time. Be glad you have Arizona as your sister, and not my sisters." Derek muttered. Derek's older sister Katheleen was three years older than him, then it was Nancy, who was only a year older. Jen was a year younger, while Megan was four years younger. There was never a quite moment in the Shepherd household.

"Trust me, I am." Cody smiled proudly as he put his arm around Arizona and led her to the middle of Derek's room. "Now the gangs all together. Who's ready for some dark tag?" Cody asked.

"Yeah!" they all cheered as Derek ran to the other side of the room and shut the lights off.

"Marks it!" Arizona announced.

"Yeah!" Cody and Derek nodded.

"You guys stink." Mark complained as he made his way to the wall and covered his eyes, "One...two...three..."

* * *

"I sent Arizona with the boys," Michael admitted to his wife Carolyn as he flipped through the book he was reading.

Carolyn dropped the book she was reading herself, and turned to her husband, "Were the girls playing nice?"

Michael shrugged, "Zona said they were being just fine, but she missed the boys. I think they missed her too."

"I'm sure they did," Carolyn nodded.

"I honestly don't see why you and Rebecca make such a big deal about Arizona spending time with the boys. Especially now, after all these years." Michael told his wife.

"We're just worried she won't grow up into a proper young lady, Michael," Carolyn explained to her husband in frustration. "You just don't understand because you're a man." Michael sighed, knowing that he set off Carolyn and she would be ranting to him for the rest of the night. "Arizona needs to start hanging out with girls her own age because once they hit those teenage years, their hormones will be skyrocketing through the roof and we can't have Arizona sleeping over with the boys."

"Then we don't have her sleep over with the boys," Michael told her in a duh-tone.

"Michael, we're trying to get her used to the idea. How would she feel if all of a sudden Cody comes to spend the night and she's not allowed to come," Carolyn asked her husband.

"Kind of like you two did tonight?" Michael asked, "Look, all I'm saying is Arizona is a well rounded girl. She loves doing all the girly things that girls her age do, but she also loves hanging out with her best friends who just happen to be three crazy little boys. I don't see the harm in any of that. Also, those crazy hormones don't come for another few years, so let them just enjoy their childhood now." Michael kissed his wife's temple, "And I think you and Rebecca need to just let it be and let nature take it's course."

"You won't be so mellow and cool about this if Arizona and Derek end up hooking up in high school," Carolyn warned her husband.

Michael laughed out, "That won't be happening. They all see each other as brother and sisters. Just relax, Carolyn." Michael told her sweetly as he draped his arm around her and snuggled in closer.

"Mhmm." Carolyn smiled to herself, knowing that maybe her husband was right.

TBC.


	3. Remembrance

**Title:** The Fantastic Four  
**Author:** Hopelessgirl22  
**Pairing:** Callie/Arizona with Mark/Arizona/Derek friendship  
**Rating:** PG13  
**Summary: **Derek, Mark, Arizona, and Arizona's brother, Cody have been best friends since childhood. Explores their childhood adventures as well their adult life complications.  
**Dis****claimer: **I don't own anything!

**Remembrance**

**November 11, 2009**

"Hey," Owen smiled softly as he took a seat next to Arizona on the couch in the attending lounge. He knew better than anyone how hard this day was, and even so, he had no idea what to say. This is was a part of hi life, he was not used to talking about.

"Hi," Arizona shaky voice let out. She quickly blinked her eyes a couple of times so that none of the tears that had welled up in her eyes, fell. She was thankful that he was there, but she really just wanted to snuggle next to Callie in a moment like this. That wasn't possible, however, because Callie had an emergency surgery but promised to return to Arizona's side the second she was out.

"I'm really sorry," Owen mumbled unsure of what to say.

"It's not you're fault, Owen," Arizona managed to give him a small weak smile. "It was Cody's dream to protect our country, and he knew the risks when he enlisted. This was the way it was supposed to be," Arizona frowned, "I just wish it would have ended differently."

* * *

**January 2007**

_Arizona stood nervously at the refreshments table, trying to pour herself a cup of punch, but was failing miserably and spilling everywhere due to her nervous hands. Their unit was having a going away party a couple days before they set out across seas, and Arizona was not even close to ready to say good-bye. _

_"Need help there?" A red-headed man asked as he walked up to her in uniform._

_"I'm okay, thanks," Arizona told him, "I'm just a little shaky, I suppose. I've never been to one." _

_"I've had my fair share of these, and they never get any easier. These things always make me pretty shaky too," Owen smiled sheepishly. "I assume you know one of our men?" _

_"My twin brother, Cody Robbins," Arizona smiled proudly at her brother, "It's his first term. He's pretty nervous but is trying his best not to show it." Arizona told the nice soldier._

_"Well, this is my third. I'm the trauma doctor," he chuckled, "I'll make sure to keep an eye out for him. Owen Hunt," The man held out his hand._

_"Arizona Robbins, and that would be great because I'm more scared than he is. The fact that he has someone watching his back out there eases my mind a bit," Arizona admitted._

_"Well, it was nice meeting you, Arizona, but I better get back to my own family." Owen gave her a affirmative nod before turning and walking away. _

* * *

"Your brother was a hero out there Arizona. I know that sounds generic, but it's the truth." Owen told her softly. "He saved that boys life out there."

* * *

_Owen, Cody, and a wounded American were ducked down behind a sand hill after an unexpected explosion in a building they had been in. There were people running back and forth in the streets going crazy while some people were being shot from rooftops._

_"Hunt, where is everyone else?" Cody cried out as he looked around and didn't see a familiar uniform anywhere in sight. Owen simply looked around nervously but didn't reply, hoping that Cody got the hint._

_"Robbins, we need to keep Jackson from bleeding out. I need you to focus on this," Owen yelled as he held his hands over his body to keep from bleeding out, but it didn't seem to help. Nothing seemed to help, and Owen had no idea what to do. He was a good trauma doctor, but he had never seen anything so severe before in his life. _

_"Hunt, you need to lay over him to keep him from bleeding out," Cody shouted over all the yelling in the streets. Cody had remembered his Dad telling him a story a few years back about how one of his friends had to lay over a wounded soldier to keep him from bleeding out._

_"What?" Owen looked at him as if he was crazy._

_"The pressure of your hands isn't enough," Cody explained loudly, "You need to lay over him."_

_Owen nodded and did what Cody had said, and it seemed to have worked the second he did it. Just then, a women came running up to them speaking rapidly in her native language so they couldn't understand what she was saying. _

_"My- My- Son." She cried out in english. She motioned for them to follow her but Owen shook his head. _

_"I can't.. Jackson.." Owen motioned toward his wounded friend. He wanted to help the woman find her son, but if he got off of Jackson, then he would bleed out._

_"I'll go." Cody offered as he stood up. The woman's eyes lit up with hope when Cody volunteered. _

_Owen shook his head, "No, we shouldn't get separated. I order you to stay, Robbins." Owen had a stern look on his face, but Cody ignored it. His father always taught him to be a good man in a storm, and that is what he had intended to do. _

_"I'm going," Cody told him as he got up and followed the woman, "I'll be back, Hunt."_

_"Robbins!" Owen shouted after him, "Get back here!" _

_Owen never saw him again. The last thing he saw before they were airlifted to the nearest hospital was the site of the mother carrying her son, running for shelter. At that moment, Owen had hoped Cody had made it out alive, but they later found Cody Robbins body under a bunch of debris. Apparently, the little boy that he had saved was stuck in a building, so Cody quickly went in to help him get out, but ended up getting caught in some debris. The boy made it out alive, while Cody wasn't as lucky. _

_

* * *

_

"I know, but it just doesn't hurt any less." Arizona mumbled.

"I know," Owen nodded, "Cody was a good man and he didn't deserve to..." Owen paused, "It shouldn't have ended the way it had." Owen sighed in frustration, "Jackson didn't even make it out alive, either. It was a waste, you know? I could've left Jackson, and gone to help Cody," Owen slumped over and covered his face with his hands. '"I could've helped."

Arizona shook her head softly and rubbed Owen's back soothingly, "No. Owen, you were doing your job. YOU were being a good man in a storm, too."

"I could've saved him." Owen mumbled.

"And I could've stopped Cody from joining the military altogether, but like I said earlier, Cody knew the risks. He was a rational guy. He didn't make decisions without thinking them all clearly. He wouldn't have put himself in danger if it wasn't the right thing to do. We can beat ourselves up about how we could've stopped all of this from happening, but it won't help any. What you and Cody did for our country was brave and heroic and no one can ever repay you. You're right, Owen. My brother was a hero, and so were you. Cody may have not made it back, but what he did was awesome. " Arizona gave Owen a weak smile as tears flowed down her face.

"It was awesome." Owen nodded sadly.

"There you are," Callie whispered peeking her head through the door, "I've been looking all over for you..." Callie trailed off at the sight of both Owen and Arizona. Arizona had tears flowing down her face while Owen looked as though he was about the break at any moment.

"I'm gonna-" Owen pointed at the door and made a quick exit.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Callie motioned between Arizona and the empty space next to her on the couch.

"No, I've been waiting for you," Arizona smile softly, "Come here."

Callie walked over to the couch and enveloped Arizona into a comforting hug, "I'm so sorry, Babe. I wish I could've been by your side the entire day." Callie whispered into Arizona hair.

"I know," Arizona nodded, "But talking with Owen was good." Arizona nodded.

"That's good. I'm glad." Callie smiled as she hugged Arizona tighter. "I'm here now. I'll always be here," Callie kissed her softly.

"I love you," Arizona murmured.

"Love you too," Callie replied looking deep into Arizona blue eyes.


	4. Christmas

**1985**

"Dude, what's the deal with Zona?" Mark asked Cody as the three boys sat in the backyard of Derek's house. Derek lived on the outskirts of the city where his house was surrounded by fields and large trees. Michael Shepherd grew up on a farm and wanted his own children to have a similar experience. They didn't have any farm animals but they did have a couple of beautiful white labs.

"She's just having a hard time dealing with the idea of our Dad not being with us this Christmas," Cody explained as he looked through the glass doors that led into the Derek household where Arizona was cuddled up alone on the couch watching tv.

"That stinks," Derek replied solemnly. Cody and Arizona's father was in the Army and was serving over seas for the year, and Arizona was taking the separation the hardest. "Maybe we should do something to cheer her up," Derek suggested.

"I already tried that," Cody mumbled, "She's like a rock, lately. She just mopes around in her room all the time and never wants to play."

"Well, we should do something for her on Christmas to make her not feel so bad," Mark added and all the boys nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! But what?" Derek asked as his eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

"We could fill up Derek's pool with strawberry jello," Cody suggested with a wide grin.

"Strawberry is your favorite. Arizona hates strawberry, remember?" Mark reminded them as he sighed.

"Oh yeah," Cody pulled a strand of grass from the yard and began ripping it. "Well, then, I don't know."

"Maybe we could get Greg Geller to go steady with her. He owes me a couple favors," Derek suggested casually.

Mark looked over at him in disgust, "Dude, Arizona hates Geller."

"No she doesn't," Derek argued back.

"Yeah, she does. She thinks he's an arrogant asshole," Mark told the two boys in front of him.

"Mark," Derek complained in a whiny voice, "You can't use bad words like that in the house!"

Mark rolled his eyes, "We're not in the house."

"You know what I mean," Derek told him as he leaned over and punched Mark's shoulder.

"I don't think Arizona would use those words anyways," Cody added.

Mark let out a frustrated groan, "Well, fine she wouldn't say that, but she doesn't like him like that at all. Do you two not know Arizona, at all?"

"We do," Derek and Cody defended themselves.

"Alright then, because I already have a plan," Mark told them cooly.

"Sounds like you've thought this out," Derek pointed out with excitement.

"Well, if I have a plan, then I must have thought this out," Mark deadpanned. "A tree house! Her very own personal tree house where she can be alone and relax."

"What do we get out of this," Cody eyed Mark suspiciously.

"It's a gift you dimwit. We don't get anything out of this," Mark told them as he slapped Cody on the side of the head.

"It's Arizona. She'll share with us," Derek told the two. "So when and how do we start this?"

"Do you think that your dad will help us?" Mark asked Derek.

"I'm sure he would," Derek nodded, "Let's go ask him."

The boys jumped up from their spots in the grass and ran inside to compromise with Derek's dad. After A few days of planning, they decided to build it a little deep into the woods so that they could add onto it each year if they decided to.

* * *

"Come on, Mark, hurry up. This was your idea," Derek grumbled a few weeks later as he and Mark carried more wood to their tree. They were almost done with the outer shell of the tree house and just needed to decorate it a bit more.

"My hands hurt," Mark complained as he dumped the wood at the bottom of the trunk.

"We're almost done, Mark." Cody yelled as he poked his head out of one of the windows.

"How about you boys go play bit, and I'll finish up here," Michael Shepherd suggested to the boys as he walked out onto the porch of the tree house.

"Really?" Derek's eyes lit up.

"Yeah, go on. Don't waste your weekend," Michael smiled as he watched the boys all take off running deeper into the woods.

* * *

"I think it has come out brilliantly," Derek smiled as he looked over at his best friends proudly. After weeks and weeks of hard work, they were finally done.

"I think Arizona will like the color too," Cody pointed out, "She always liked light blue."

"It matches her eyes," Mark smiled. "It's perfect. Do you think this will cheer her up?" Mark asked softly.

Cody nodded, "Yeah, this was a great idea, Mark." Cody smiled as he patted his friend on the shoulder, "You're a great friend."

They all looked up at the sky blue tree house with a lime green door. It had a large porch with a table in the corner. Inside it was large and open, with a couple of bean bags, and other necessities. On the backside of the tree house, they had a platform and a lever so that they could lift up heavier things such as an ice chest.

"I can't wait for Christmas, so that she can open it," Derek jumped up in excitement.

"Me either. We'll have to wait until after Christmas so that Mark can be here to see her reaction," Cody told Derek.

Mark shook his head solemnly, "My parents are going to be out of town, so they decided to let me stay with you guys for Christmas."

Both Cody and Derek were silent for a couple minutes before Cody broke the silence and grinned over at Mark.

"Well, at least they were considerate and left you with us instead of a Nanny. We can have fun. It's way better than lame parents," Cody smiled softly.

"Yeah, plus can you imagine the looks on our Mom's faces when they have to deal with all three of us," Derek laughed.

Mark's frown broke into a smile, "Yeah, I guess you all are right."

* * *

Christmas Morning

"Merry Christmas Zona!" Mark shrieked as he jumped onto Derek's where Zona had slept that night. The boys had taken out their sleeping bags, laying them on the floor of his bedroom, while they all stayed up late hoping to hear the bells of Santa's sleigh. Derek, Mark and Cody didn't believe in Santa anymore, but they pretended for Arizona's sake. She still believed and had hope.

"Mark, get off. I'm sleepy," Arizona mumbled as she turned over facing the wall and pulled the sheets over her head.

"Oh no, no, no, Zona. It's time for Christmas. Derek and Cody are already downstairs!" Mark complained. "We're waiting for you."

"I just wanna stay here," Arizona sighed as she slowly propped herself up on her elbows.

"Derek's room is smelly and gross. You don't want to stay here. It's Christmas," Mark smiled, "And Derek's annoying sisters already went through half their presents already. We need to catch up."

Arizona's bottom lip began to quiver and her blue eyed filled with tears. "I just miss my Daddy," Arizona admitted.

Mark nodded in understanding, "I miss my parents too, but we can't just sit up here and be sad when there are presents and sweets downstairs waiting for us. I know you can't say no to a donut." Mark grinned.

Arizona broke out into a soft smile, "Only if it's sprinkled."

"Come on." Mark jumped off from the bed and sped downstairs to join the festivities with Arizona on his tail.

* * *

"How much longer will I have to wear this thing?" Arizona grumbled as she pinched Michael Shepherd's nose. She was sitting on his shoulders as he and the three boys led her to her Christmas gift.

"Just a little longer Zoe-Bear," Michael told her.

"Stop your yappin'" Cody teased Arizona as they reached their destination. The boys quickly climbed to up to the top of the tree house where "Zona's Place" was written on the door.

"Take it off," Derek told her excitedly.

Arizona slowly took her blindfold off and looked up to see the prettiest treehouse she had ever seen. Although, she really hadn't seen one anywhere outside a movie.

"Wha-" Arizona's jaw dropped and she couldn't say anything.

"Well, do you like it, Sissy?" Cody asked eagerly.

"It's... mine?" Arizona asked in awe.

"All yours." Derek nodded proudly.

"I- I love it!" Arizona grinned as Michael lifted her off his shoulders and onto the floor.

"Go up and take a look, Zona." Michael nudged her. His smile grew wider when he watched Arizona race to the bottom of the tree stump and begin to climb up the rope ladder. He had three daughters and he loved them with every ounce in his body but he had a special place in his heart specifically for Arizona.

"Oh my gosh, this is the coolest thing ever." Arizona grinned as she peered into the inside of the house through the window.

"Well, hurry up, Zona! Go inside!" Mark smiled as he opened the door open for her to enter.

"Thank you so so much!" Arizona gushed as she hugged each one of the boys tightly, "This is the best present I could have ever gotten."

"It was Mark's idea," Derek explained as he pointed in Mark's direction.

Mark looked down at his shoes to hide the blush.

"Hey Derek, I got you all a tire swing to hang.. You and Cody come help me get it from my truck," Michael Shepherd calls the boys as he made his way out from the forest while the two boys took off running after him.

"This is so awesome, Mark. Thanks," Arizona told Mark.

"I just want to see you happy," Mark smiled.

"Arizona!" They heard a voice call out to them from the house. "COME QUICK!" Arizona broke her gaze off Mark and quickly climbed down the ladder.

"Let's go see what they're calling us for," Arizona said as she ran toward the house.

As she made her way out of the woods she looked up to the back porch of the house and saw her mother and brother engulfed in her fathers arms. He was wearing his army suit with his back pack on the floor next to him. Arizona's heart literally dropped with joy when he looked up and met her gaze.

"DADDY!" Arizona shrieked as she took off in a mad dash toward her Dad.

"Zona!" her Father breathed out into her hair as she jumped into his open arms crying softly.

"Don't leave anymore," Arizona whispered. "I asked Santa to bring you, home... and he did. Please don't leave ever again."

"I won't. I won't." He promised softly, silently praying he could keep his promise.


	5. Caught

**January 1990**

"Zona, over here! Zona." Arizona looked up and saw Joanne open on the other side of the field. She quickly crossed the soccer ball perfectly to Joanne, giving her access to get a perfect shot at the goal. Within two seconds, Joanne had the ball at the back of the soccer goal with everyone in yellow pinnies cheering.

"Yes!" Arizona jumped up and ran to the other side of the field to high-five Joanne. "Way to go JoJo!" Arizona grinned.

"Couldn't have done it without you Zona," Joanne grinned as she pulled off the yellow pinnie she wearing and threw it onto a pile that had formed on the bleachers. "Great practice."

"Definitely," Arizona breathed out tiredly. "I'm ready to go home and sleep."

"You're really fantastic out there, Arizona," Joanne admitted, "It's like watching a ballerina on stage... except... on a soccer field," Joanne giggled at how silly she sounded. "You're really lucky you had such great guys to practice with," Joanne nodded toward the soccer field adjacent to the girls soccer field. The boys were in the middle of an intense scrimmage.

"Yeah, they're really great," Arizona grinned as she fell to the grass and began removing her neon green cleats.

"Cute shin-gaurds," Joanne teased as she lightly kicked Arizona's hot pink shin-gaurds.

"Thanks," Arizona's face flushed as she tried to focus on something other than how nervous Joanne made her feel.

"You know, I bet if you continue playing like this, Coach will definitely put you on the starting line up for Varsity. You'll be the first Freshman." Joanne was a sophomore like Derek's older sister, Nancy. In fact, Joanne was probably one of Nancy's best friends since third grade.

"Well, I don't want to count my chickens or anything," Arizona shrugged, "But that would be awesome."

"Arizona, come on!" Arizona heard her name called and turned and saw Derek's younger sister Jen waiting at the edge of the field with books in her hand. She was a year younger than them, but ended up skipping a grade and had grown to be one of Arizona's closest girl friends.

"Coming," Arizona called back before turning to look up at Joanne. Joanne reached down and lent a hand to Arizona who graciously accepted it. As Joanne pulled Arizona up, Arizona went flying up a little too fast and her face ended up inches away from Joanne and could feel her breathing on Arizona.

"I usually like dinner and a movie first," Joanne teased as Arizona nervously took a few paces back.

"Uh... sorry, uh, I'll see you tomorrow at practice," Arizona quickly threw her cleats in her backpack before running off toward Jen.

As Arizona approached Jen, Jen noticed Arizona's particularly flushed face. "What's with you," Jen asked.

"Nothing," Arizona responded quickly.

"You look like you've got naughty on your mind," Jen teased.

"Shut up," Arizona muttered as she looked back and noticed Joanne staring back with a smile present on her face. Joanne lifted her hand up and shyly gave her a small wave. Arizona quickly turned forward, her cheeks growing redder. Jen narrowed her eyes and looked past Arizona suspiciously.

"Joanne?" Jen asked in confusion, and her eyes widened in shock, "Oh my gosh! Joanne!"

"What?" Arizona asked innocently.

"You... are totally crushing on Joanne. Oh my gosh! I mean, I knew you were... but you hadn't tell me what brought upon all of this." Jen smirked as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Shut up," Arizona replied as she shoved her hand over Jen's mouth. Jen reached up for Arizona's hand and pulled it down. "You said you wouldn't tell anyone," Arizona complained as she glanced nervously around at all the soccer girls that were not in ear distance. They were all preoccupied getting their stuff ready to leave to even bother listening anyways.

"I haven't, and I won't. I do think you should tell the guys. They're your best friends," Jen said in a low whisper as they began walking to the bus stop.

"I can't," Arizona admitted, "I don't think they would understand."

"I saw the way you looked at Joanne. That wasn't just a friendship sort of gaze," Jen said.

Arizona shrugged, "She's my teammate. A good one at that."

"Mhmm, whatever. I'm dropping it for now, but let's go catch the bus. The boys are going to the library to finish their project. Parents are working until eight. House to ourselves for a couple hours," Jen wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Arizona looked down at her feet and laughed a bit, "Jen, maybe we should stop this..." Arizona trailed off as she tried to form the words.

"This?" Jen asked with a raised eyebrow, "This really isn't anything other than making out and having fun," Jen grinned, "Don't worry so much, Zona."

"It's just... if Derek found out, I'm pretty sure he'd kill both of us."

Jen shook her head, "Derek won't find out."

Arizona rolled her eyes, "I really need to find you a boyfriend."

"We really need to get you Joanne," Jen shot back while Arizona simply rolled her eyes.

* * *

"Cookies, cookies, cookies and cream, what's a matter with the other team. Nothing, nothing, nothing at all..." Jen trailed off as she scooped cookies and cream ice cream into bowls for her and Arizona.

"Future cheerleader, ladies and gentlemen," Arizona retorted as she hopped onto the island counter.

"I'm making you try out too, you know that right?" Jen grinned as she walked over stood between Arizona' legs and leaned in close.

"You wish," Arizona teased, "I'm all soccer, and you know it."

"Please. Pretty pretty please," Jen pouted.

"Fine," Arizona sighed, "but I am not joining. Even if I make it. My heart is in soccer, and that is all there is to it."

"Yay!" Jen grinned as she leaned in closer and captured Arizona's lips.

"The ice cream is going to melt," Arizona managed to mumble against Jen's mouth.

Jen pulled back and looked over at the ice cream, "Oh well," Jen laughed and put her hand up to Arizona's cheek, guiding her back closer.

The two were caught up in the moment that they didn't hear the back kitchen door open.

"What the hell!" The girls broke apart, flushed, and looked toward the door where Mark his standing. Confusion was written all over his face. "Wha- What's going on here?" Mark asked.

"It's not what it looks like..." Arizona replied slowly as she stole a quick glance with Jen who was was petrified and red. Arizona slid off the counter and took a couple steps toward Mark.

"So you weren't just making out with Jen?" Mark asked rather loudly as he turned around to face the wall, not wanting to look at the girls.

"Yes, but-" Jen piped in from behind Arizona but Mark cut her off.

"Why?" Mark shouted as he turned back to glare at them.

"Well, see that is kind of hard to explain..." Jen shrugged looking up at Mark nervously.

"Humor me," Mark deadpanned.

"I'm gay," Arizona whispered weakly. Jen's eyes bulged out of her head as she looked over at Arizona in shock. She's known for awhile, but she never heard Arizona admit it to anyone but her.

"What?" Mark's jaw dropped.

"I'm gay," Arizona repeated.

"No. No. No. NO." Mark shook his head and he ran his hands through his shaggy hair. He began pacing back and forth shaking his head violently.

"I'm sorry I never told you before," Arizona mumbled, "But I didn't think you guys would understand and I was afraid. I'm sorry."

Mark stopped pacing and stood there in front of the girls with his hands on his hips, staring at the ground quietly.

"So what are y'all, a couple?" Mark asked after a minute of silence.

"No," Jen shook her head, "I'm... I'm straight... we're just... Nothing," Jen stuttered meekly.

"Yeah, it's really nothing," Arizona told Mark, but he didn't seem to listen, so Arizona took a step forward and grabbed Mark's face to make him look at her, "It's nothing."

Mark simply shook his head and turned around rubbing his temples with his hands, "I just came to get Derek his notebook that he forgot... I didn't expect... this."

Then it hit Arizona like a ton of bricks. "You can't tell Derek," Arizona told him quickly.

"I need to grab his notebook," Mark muttered as he pushed past Arizona, but Arizona quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back to face her.

"Please, Mark," Arizona pleaded as her eyes welled up with tears. Mark continued to look in every direction but hers. "Mark," Arizona said forcefully, "look at me."

Mark slowly looked down at Arizona and locked eyes with her.

"You are my best friend, Mark. Please... do this for me. Please," Arizona pleaded.

Mark sighed, knowing full well he couldn't say no to the dimples and the tears forming in her blue eyes. "Fine, but this..." Mark began motioning between the two of them, "has to stop."

"Okay," Arizona nodded in agreement. "It ends now, right Jen?"

Jen nodded slowly from her spot, "Yeah.."

Mark simply nodded before exiting the kitchen and making his way up to Derek's room.

"We're so lucky Derek is a lazy ass and sent Mark instead of coming here himself," Arizona sighed as she leaned up against the kitchen door and slid down.

"I know..." Jen trailed off softly. "Mark's just jealous, though."

"What?" Arizona looked up at Jen in confusion.

"He's jealous," Jen repeated in a duh tone. "He's been in love with you since you two were kids. He's been pining over you for YEARS, and now he's just found out he has no shot in hell with you."

After a couple of seconds of letting Jen's words process, Arizona burst out laughing, "Mark is not in love with me. That's crazy."

"Crazy or not, it's true." Jen shrugged as she grabbed her bowl of ice cream from the counter, "I'm gonna go watch TV.."

Jen walked out of the kitchen leaving Arizona to think about the effects of her actions. Not only did she betray Derek by kissing his little sister, not just once or twice, but for months, she also broke her other best friends heart. She didn't even want to begin to think about how Cody would react to it all. Arizona buried her face in her hands and tried to find an answer to all the mess but nothing was popping up.


	6. Truth Or Dare

**May 2010**

"Drink up, pretty boy," Cristina teased Derek as the group of surgeons sat around Callie and Arizona's living room. It was rare when they all had the night off, but Cristina, Owen, Derek, Meredith, Lexie, Mark, Callie, and Arizona all had the night off and decided to have a couples night. Now, normal couples would probably sit around a large dining table discussing their children, political events, and maybe even work. However, these surgeons got drunk on their nights off and somehow let Mark Sloan talk them into playing truth or dare.

"Just answer the question, or take the shot." Mark shifted around impatiently on the pillow he was sitting on. "C'mon," He groaned.

"I'm sorry," Derek threw up his hands in defeat as Meredith pushed a shot in his direction. "I just refuse to answer that question," Derek shrugged as he downed the shot.

"You're turn," Cristina nodded her head toward Lexie and leaned forward in anticipation.

Lexie giggled due to the fact that she was a lightweight and became extremely giddy after a couple shots. "Okay, I've got a good one, Mark," she turned to her boyfriend slyly. "Who was your very first kiss?"

Arizona's eyes widened in shock, almost spitting out the beer in her mouth as she looked over at Mark with her cheeks growing flush.

"I'll drink," Mark muttered as he reached for the tequila, but Lexie quickly grabbed the bottle and shook her head.

"Nuh-uh. I wanna hear this," Lexie teased as she stared at Mark intently.

"No," Mark replied sternly as he shook his head. "I'll take the shot."

"Come on, Mark. It was years ago. Just tell us," Callie begged, suddenly curious about the story. If she couldn't get it out of Mark, she was sure she could it out of Arizona after some... persuasion. Callie couldn't help but grin at the thought of the many, many forms of persuasion she could use.

"Yeah, get on with it, Sloan," Owen hollered as he took a swig of his beer.

"It was pretty ego-bruising," Derek chuckled. "Actually, I think it's what turned Mark into the manwhore he is, wouldn't you say, Zona?"

"Shut up, Derek," Arizona glared as she shook her head furiously.

"Was! I've changed." Mark corrected Derek with the same glare Arizona wore.

"Just tell the story and get it over with, Mark," Arizona muttered, pressing two fingers to the bridge of her nose.

Mark sighed, "Fine. I was eleven years old... and it was the last saturday before I started Junior High."

"Really?" Callie asked with a raised eyebrow. "That old?" She could've sworn that Mark would have been one of those 6-year old little boys running around the playground asking little girls to play doctor.

"I'm sorry but believe it or not I wasn't a manwhore back then," Mark confessed as he looked up at Arizona who gave him a small smile.

* * *

**August 1985**

_"Can you believe it? We're going to Junior high," Mark clapped his hands together happily, glad to be done with elementary school. He was tired of walking into the boys bathroom and finding a huddle of third graders writing on the wall and thinking they're so cool. He was over the teachers still treating them as if they were kindergartners. Sure, they were still children, but c'mon, he didn't need someone to accompany him to the bathroom that was twenty feet away. If he was old enough to stay at home alone, he was sure he could walk to the office by himself, too. _

_"It's pretty awesome," Arizona nodded as they sat side by side on the porch of the treehouse with their backs to the door watching the sunset. "Summer is almost over, Mark," Arizona sighed, "Soon we'll be little fish in a big pond."_

_"We'll have each other," Mark told her honestly, "I think we'll be okay, Zona. Those two over there... well, they've got some issues to take care of." Mark laughed as he watched Derek and Cody sword fight off in the distance._

_Arizona shook her head and joined in with laughter, "Yeah... I'll agree with you there." _

_"Hey, Zona..." Mark said suddenly as he kneeled up and faced her._

_"Yeah?" Arizona asked in confusion, seeing the seriousness on Mark's face. _

_"Well... the thing is, I've sorta been feeling these weird... feelings... inside my stomach..." Mark started nervously as he focused intently on Arizona's pink shoelaces and rubbed his stomach. "It's like when we're going down really fast on a roller coaster or something." _

_"Do you want me to get my Mommy?" Arizona asked obliviously, "Cody has tummy issues too, and she carries medicine with her. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. "_

_"No, it's not like that, Arizona. I love you," Mark confessed dramatically as he threw his hands up in the hair. _

_Arizona's eyes lit up and her dimples began to show as she grinned, "I love you too Markie! You're my best friend."_

_"Really?" Mark asked with a squeaky voice before Arizona began nodding. Before Arizona had anytime to react, Mark's lips were pressed to hers. After about 3 seconds, Arizona quickly shoved him off of her and jumped up to her feet. Looking down at Mark, who was propping himself up on his elbows, tears began to roll down her face._

_"Why are you crying?" Mark quickly rose to his feet nervously. _

_"Marcus Sloan, I'd like you to know that I'm very upset with you right now!" Arizona scolded as tears rolled down her face._

_"What? Why?" Mark asked sadly as he took a step in her direction, but she quickly pushed him away from her._

_"You ruined everything, Sloan! Why would you do that?" _

_"You said you loved me!" Mark defended himself, looking sadly at Arizona._

_"I love you like a best friend! Like a Brother! Not like a Mommy and Daddy love each other." Arizona ran over to the ladder and didn't even wait until the last step to jump off. _

_

* * *

_"He kind of ruined everything for us," Derek laughed. "Arizona ran to her mother crying that Mark Sloan had kissed her and after that, Arizona's parents didn't let her sleepover with us anymore. If she did, she had to stay with Jen."

"Wow, so Mark Sloan was your first kiss?" Callie bit down her lip to keep from laughing.

"Yeah," Arizona smiled up at Mark, "I'm sorry for bruising your ego, Mark. I just don't like kissing boys."

"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah," Mark muttered as he rolled his eyes. "Cody kicked my ass after that, too." At the mention of her brother, Derek and Arizona shared a look of sadness before it was quickly broken.

"Babe, are you still sore about it?" Lexie asked teasingly as she nudged him.

"No," Mark replied gruffly.

"He just kind of had a huge thing for Arizona back in the day," Derek laughed as he took another swig of his beer.

"Oh really?" Callie replied with a raised eyebrow directed toward Mark. "Watch it Sloan."

"Green-eyed monsters?" Arizona smiled lovingly at Callie.

"You know it, Babe." Callie smiled as she leaned over to kiss Arizona's cheek.

* * *

**2010**

**Two hours later.**

"Okay, Okay. My turn," Callie giggled as she looked over at Arizona deviously, "Who was your first girl kiss."

Arizona threw her head back and laughed. At this point, everyone was drunk. Arizona, however, was a lightweight and like Lexie, could not function normally. "Well that, my dear, is a quite a funny story..."

"...That I don't think she should share," Mark warned as he locked eyes with Arizona and shook his head quickly. It was a secret that was shared only between Mark, Arizona, and Jen, and never had they revealed it to anyone.

"Oh, Markie poo is being a party poo," Arizona laughed. "Derek isn't going to get mad. That was years ago..." Arizona slurred.

"What am I not going to get mad at?" Derek asked curiously. "It was Joanne, right?"

Arizona giggled, "Well, it was the summer between junior high and high school and boy was it a great one. Soccer summer camp..." Arizona trailed off dreamily. "I'd never seen anybody so beautiful... at the time I mean. Now, she can't even compare to Calliope."

"How sweet," Callie laughed sarcastically.

* * *

**June 1989**

_"Look at her," Arizona breathed out in awe. "She's incredible." Arizona and a couple other incoming freshman were watching the varsity team warm up before their first practice at their schools soccer camp, and one of the girls had caught her eye. She dribbled the ball between her lime green cleats as she made her way up the field, passing one defender after the other. _

_"That, my friend, is our captain," one of the girls next to her mumbled, "She's only a sophomore too. Universities from all over the country are dying to have her. She's like a soccer protege" _

_"Wow," Jen grinned, "Should we introduce ourselves?" _

_"Nah," the girl shook her head. "She'll come over in a bit."_

_Sure enough, about ten minutes later, the girl came over to the group with a large smile, breathing in and out deeply. _

_"Hey guys," She smiled, "I'm Joanne. You can call me JoJo, or Jo. Or even Ann. It really doesn't matter. You girls ready to have a quick little scrimmage before we start some drills?" _

_Everyone nodded enthusiastically and began walking toward the shed to grab their pinnies. _

_"Wait a second," She grinned as she held up her arm stopping Arizona from continuing with the group. "You're Arizona Robbins," she stated. _

_"Since 1975," Arizona quipped nervously. There was something about this girl that made her knees shake._

_"I've had my eye on you," Joanne nodded as she smirked at Arizona._

_"Uh... you- uh- you have?" Arizona asked, confusion written all over her face._

_"Yeah, my little brother plays on the same league as your brother. Before he moved up to the high school division, that is. I'd see you there... practicing with the boys sometimes. You're amazing," Joanne complimented her as she took a step forward. _

_"I- I am?" Arizona took a step back and looked over at Jen for help, but she was busy kicking the ball around with another freshman. _

_"I sure think so," Joanne flirted. _

_"Right... well thanks. You're pr- pretty- not pretty. I mean," Arizona paused and shook her head, "you've got pretty good soccer skills. I didn't mean you're not pretty. Because you're not, not pretty. You're-" Arizona cut herself off and looked up at Joanne. She had the biggest smirk on her face as she looked down at Arizona's pink cheeks. _

_"I get it Arizona," Joanne grinned. "You're cute when you're nervous."_

_"Right. I'm gonna go over there now," Arizona pointed back toward the freshman before running off in that direction. _

_

* * *

_"I find it very hard to believe that you were nervous," Callie grinned, "I mean you did just walk up to me in the bar randomly."

"So, Joanne was your first girl kiss?" Derek asked curiously.

"Nope," Mark muttered as he looked over at Arizona who simply giggled.

* * *

_"So, I think I'm into girls," Arizona blurted out nonchalantly as she and Jen sat on the floor of her bedroom watching MTV._

_Jen's jaw dropped as she turned look at Arizona in shock, "What?"_

_"Yep," Arizona nodded as she kept her eyes glued to the TV._

_"Uh... please elaborate," Jen mumbled as she turned her body toward Arizona._

_"There really isn't much more to elaborate on. Just don't tell your brother... or my brother... or oh, god. Mark. They would have a field day with this one." Arizona shuddered at the thought of the boys finding out this piece of information._

_"I won't, I won't, but-" Jen paused, wrinkling her forehead as she let the words soak in, "Really? Are you sure?"_

_"Yep," Arizona nodded as she turned to Jen with a small smile._

_"Have you ever even kissed a girl?" Jen asked._

_"Nope," Arizona shook her head as she turned to look at Jen._

_"Then how do you know if you are into girls?" Jen asked slyly. _

_"It's a gut thing, I guess."_

_"You're going to live your life based on a gut feeling? I'll be your guinea pig. Try on me," Jen smirked as she shifted closer to Arizona._

_Arizona simply giggled, "I can't. You're my best friends little sister."_

_"I'm in the same grade level as you... It's not like i'm his baby sister or anything. What does it matter anyways? It's just once..."_

_Arizona contemplated for a few minutes before shrugging, "Just once..."_

_Jen grinned, leaning in toward Arizona, and..._

* * *

"WHAT? You kissed Jen?" Derek shouted as he glared at Arizona. "First I find Mark in bed with her... and now I find out this..."

"Oh Derek, it was a long time ago..." Arizona waved it off with a laugh. "I didn't take her virginity or anything... That was Mark."

"They were actually pretty hot," Mark smirked.

"You knew?" Derek asked angrily.

"Dude, I caught them going at it in your kitchen."

"We were hardly going at it," Arizona defended herself as she slapped Mark on the arm. "It was innocent."

Derek shook his head as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

"Who are you calling?" Arizona asked quickly.

Derek held the phone up to his ear and waited a couple of seconds before he got an answer.

"I know, I'm sorry it's late, but I just heard something quite interesting about you... Yeah, you'll never believe it... You know, about you kissing my best friend... NO NOT MARK... Zona" Derek held the phone away from his ear when he heard her start screaming.

"I am going to KILL Mark Sloan!" She shouted.

"Actually, Zona told me," Derek muttered into the phone. "I don't know who I'm more upset with. Arizona for kissing my little sister, or you for kissing my best friend... Fine" Derek yelled, as he held the phone out for Arizona. "She wants to talk to you."

Arizona grabbed the phone with a smile, "Jenny!... I'm sorry I burst the bubble... I am kindaaa drunk... just a little, though... not too much... Really?... Really?... No Way!... Okay... Give Kelly kisses for me. Bye." Arizona handed the phone back to Derek and smiled.

"She's coming for a week this summer," Arizona smiled.

"Who's Kelly?" Cristina asked. "Lesbian lover? Did blondie switch your sister's game?"

"It's her daughter," Meredith informed her, "She's adorable."

"I can't wait to meet this girl..." Callie smiled.

"She's pretty awesome," Mark told the group.

"Mark, shut up," Derek muttered. "You lost the rights to talk about her when your little Sloan got near her."

"Dude, it's not little Sloan! It's big Sloan. He get's a little touchy when I talk about his sisters," Mark informed the group.

"Married sisters," Derek corrected.

"You did hook up with... almost all of them," Arizona defended Derek.

"Correction: All of them," Meredith laughed.

Mark look deep in thought, "Was it all of them? Really?"

Meredith nodded hysterically, "I've had this discussion with them."

"Oh, yeah! You're right, you're right. I forgot about the summer night with Kathleen," Mark grinned.

"Can we stop talking about this now?" Derek asked furiously.

"Please," Lexie begged as she glared at her boyfriend.

"Discussion dropped," Mark grinned as he leaned over to kiss his jealous girlfriend.


	7. Joanne

**2010**

"So..." Callie smiled as she rolled over in bed to face Arizona, "Tell me more about Joanne." It was a few days after their Truth or Dare party and so many questions had been whirling through Callie's head, but she didn't want to upset Arizona by bringing up old memories.

Arizona looked at Callie with a raised eyebrow, "You want to know about Joanne?" Callie nodded enthusiastically, so Arizona shut the book she was reading and placed it on her nightstand. "Okay..." Arizona sighed, "What do you want to know?"

"Everything." Callie sat up in bed and look at Arizona persistently. "I mean, I know how you two met, but how did it all start? Why did it end? Give me the scoop. Give me the low down. Give me the-."

"I get it, Calliope," Arizona laughed as she leaned over and silenced her with a kiss. "Well, uh, I guess it started with the state championships..." Arizona smiled fondly at the memory. "I helped her score the winning goal with five seconds left on the clock. I mean, this was our _state championships, _and our team was mostly sophomores and juniors with the exception of me as the only freshman. The other team had all seniors and everyone predicted they were taking home the title, easily. But Joanne and I worked that forward position and never in my life had I played that good. It was a close game, I'm not gonna lie. We were neck and neck the entire way through, but in those last minutes, our team worked hard and we came out on top. It was one of the best days of the high school portion of my life. It was awesome."

* * *

**March 1990**

"Yes! Zona!" Joanne shouted as she darted across the field and pulled Arizona into a bone crushing hug. "That was.. perfect! BEYOND perfect!" Joanne gushed as she held Arizona by the shoulders at arms length.

"You were perfect," Arizona whispered as she looked into her teammates eyes. There was something about Joanne that made Arizona go crazy. Every time Joanne looked at her, even if it was just a glance, she felt her looking into her soul. Every time she touched her, she could feel it everywhere. Jen teased her and often called it lust and puppy love, but Arizona knew differently. Joanne made her feel things that she has never felt before.

Joanne's eyes lit up even more and she opened her mouth to say something, but their perfect moment was interrupted with the high-pitched screams of their teammates sprinting toward them with the gatorade tank. It only took a matter of seconds before their were covered in water.

"Alright, Alright," Joanne laughed as she pulled off her wet jersey exposing her pink sports bra and tan, toned stomach. "This was an amazing season, and we couldn't have done it without each and everyone of your hardest work. So, go home, freshen up, get some rest, and get your ass back to my house for a celebratory party!"

All the girls jumped up and screamed in excitement, "Be there at 8!"

As the girls made their way to their families, Joanne pulled on Arizona's arm to keep her from leaving. "I'm expecting you to come, too." For the first time since Arizona met Joanne, she didn't see her full of confidence. She had a blush on her cheek that wasn't from the hard running throughout the game, and she also looked a bit nervous.

"Well, I wouldn't want to let the captain down," Arizona responded with a cheeky smile as she turned around and made her way to find her family.

"Great. See you there then," Joanne waved as she threw her jersey over her shoulder and ran toward the benches.

"That was awesome, Zona! Congrats!" Derek threw his arm around Arizona's neck and pulled her into his side. "Couldn't have done it better myself."

"Thanks. Where's Mark and Cody?" Arizona asked as she looked through all the crowds of people trying to find her brother.

Derek grinned as he silently continued leading her to the parking lot where her entire family, including the Shepherds, were crowded around the Robbin's mini van, which was decorated with Arizona's name, number, and all the school colors.

"Zona!" Cody shouted as he threw his arms up in the air. Arizona grinned, running directly into her brother's arms before he picked her up and spun her around.

"Great job out there! Couldn't be prouder!" Cody whispered into her ear. "It's safe to say, you're the coolest sister ever."

"Thanks, Bro. You're not too bad yourself."

"Let me hug my daughter, now," Daniel Robbins told Cody teasingly as he walked over to Arizona. "Good job, Zona."

"Thanks Daddy!" Arizona smiled proudly as he released his tight hold on her. As soon as he let go, Cody latched onto Arizona side again as she turned to Mark and Derek. "Joanne's throwing a party tonight at 8 if you three goons want to join."

"Hm," Mark turned, grinning to Derek and started counting off on his fingers, "Hot soccer girls, Joanne's awesome pool, booze, and music. I'm in."

"Booze?" Carolyn Shepherd asked with a raised eyebrow toward the teenagers.

Arizona rolled her eyes as she slapped Mark on the arm, "He's joking. Right, Mark? You're joking."

Mark nodded seriously, "I'm joking. I don't touch the stuff."

"Mm," Colonel Robbins nodded not fully believing the young teenagers, "Just bring my princess back in one piece. Don't make me kill you three and make it look like an accident. Got it?"

"Got it!" Derek nodded.

* * *

"I see your father's protectiveness hasn't change one bit," Callie smiled as she snuggled into her pillow. Although Daniel had been nothing but loving to Callie, she had heard horror stories from Derek and Mark before their first meeting about all the girls he had intimated to the point of scaring them off.

"Not exactly," Arizona giggled. "Colonel Daniel Robbins is one of the kind and won't change for nothing."

"Except for you. He's a great man, but go on continue. Tell me about the party."

"Well, Joanne was known for her parties. Her parents were usually out of town on business and her house was gorgeous. So whenever she had a party, the whole school was there. Mark, Cody, and Derek were forced by my father to go and chaperone me"

Callie snorted, "You needed a chaperone?"

Arizona rolled her eyes, "The thing is, Cody would ALWAYS invite his friends overs during the most inappropriate times and once they caught me in my bikini getting a tan outside. My Dad overheard a couple guys making comments. I never found out what those comments were, but basically they were bad enough to make him make all three guys accompany me to any sort of party or function."

"So did the boys chaperone you?" Callie asked.

Arizona shook her head and laughed, "Not exactly..."

* * *

"You made it," Joanne whispered into Arizona's ear as she came up from behind. Arizona spun around and looked at Joanne slightly flustered at the close contact.

"Told you I would," Arizona smiled as she nervously played with the tab of her coke can.

"Come with me." Joanne looked around the crowded room and noted that nobody was paying much attention to the two, so she slipped her hand into Arizona's and guided her down an empty hallway.

"Where we going?" Arizona whispered, loving the feel of Joanne's hand in her own.

"My room. There's something I want to show you," Joanne responded as she opened her bedroom door and led Arizona inside. Joanne's room was large, blue and had a large fluffy bed in the middle. It basically looked like the room of a normal teenage girl except for the fact that it had a HUGE poster of Cindy Crawford on the wall.

"I have that same poster in my room," Arizona pointed out with a small laugh.

"No way! I'm a huge fan of hers."

"What did you want to show me?" Arizona asked as she stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Uh..." Joanne stalled as she fiddled with the VCR and VHS, "My parents couldn't be at the game today, so they hired someone to video tape it. I wanted to show you your shining moment."

Arizona blushed, "It was hardly my shining moment. You're the one that scored."

Joanne stood up and walked over to stand right in front of Arizona, "That might be true, but I couldn't have done it without you."

Arizona shrugged modestly, "So... press play."

Joanne looked over at the VHS and shook her head, "Later. That's actually not why I brought you up here..."

"It isn't?" Arizona asked innocently.

Joanne took another step forward which made Arizona gulp nervously, "Nope," Joanne shook her head slowly, "See... I am not a nervous person. I don't get nervous, but when I'm around you... something changes. I don't know how to explain it. I try to act confident around you and completely normal, but then you do that dimple thing and flip your hair, and I'm blubbering mess."

"I make you a blubbering mess?" Arizona asked softly as she let a small smile creep her face, displaying her perfect dimples.

"There it is! There's the dimple thing!" Joanne cried out. "You make me feel like this crazy love-sick puppy, and I've never felt that way. About anyone. I need you to stop doing the dimple-thing. If you want me to not jump you on the soccer field, I need you to not do the dimple thing. Or the hair thing," Joanne pleaded as she threw her hands up in the air but Arizona caught them and brought them down pulling Joanne closer into her.

"Joanne... I feel all the same things you are feeling," Arizona told her honestly.

"You do?" Joanne asked in confusion, "I mean, I thought I was going crazy... and-" Joanne was cut off my Arizona's lips being pressed against hers.

* * *

"You always did take the initiative," Callie commented.

Arizona giggled but nodded in agreement, "What can I say, I like making the first move."

"So what happened after that?"

"Well..." Arizona trailed off as she thought hard, "I'm not sure. See, Cody was looking for me or something and got he really nervous since he couldn't find me anywhere. He was so sure I had run off with on of the football players and he knows that when my Dad makes a threat, he will follow through. So, he asked one of my friends who told him that Joanne and I had disappeared to her room..."

"Uh-Oh," Callie grinned already knowing what was gonna happen.

"Yep..." Arizona nodded shamefully. "He walked in on me straddling Joanne on her bed in the middle of a heated make-out session."

"You have a knack for getting caught in compromising situations."

"You have no idea," Arizona groaned.

* * *

"ARIZONA! Oh god," Cody shouted as he quickly turned around and covered his eyes.

"CODY!" Arizona shrieked as she rolled off Joanne and jumped off the bed, "Have you ever heard of knocking?" Arizona asked angrily.

"Yeah, but I didn't think I'd be walking in on... this. What is this? What's going on here?" Cody asked with wide eyes as he turned around slowly, coming face to face with Arizona.

"This is something I can't explain right now..." Arizona trailed off as she shared a quick glance with Joanne.

"Well please try because I'm really confused right now, Arizona. Are you drunk? Is that what it is? If so, maybe I should take you home right now, or-" Cody's rant was cut off by Arizona shaking her head.

"I'm not drunk."

"Are you high? Is that what it is?" Cody asked running his hands through his blonde hair.

"No..." Arizona cut him off again as took a step forward and whispered, "I like her. Alot."

"You like her? Like... like her, like her?" Cody's attempt to whisper failed miserably and ended out coming out as a low yell.

"Well considering the situation you walked in on, I think this calls for a 'DUH'," Arizona quipped nervously as she looked back at Joanne with a soft smile, "Look Cody, it'd be REALLY awesome if you didn't tell anybody about this just yet. Like I said earlier... This is hard to explain."

"Super great," Joanne nodded in agreement. "I think Zona and I would both agree on the fact that we don't even know what this is."

Arizona nodded in agreement as she looked at her brother hopefully, "Please."

"You know I wouldn't," Cody told his sister softly as he pulled her into a comforting hug, "I love you, Sis. But, I'm not gonna lie, I'm really confused."

"You and me both," Arizona laughed. "Thanks for being so understanding, I love you." Arizona mumbled against his chest.

* * *

"Cody sounds like he was an amazing brother," Callie whispered softly as she watched her girlfriend tear up at the endearing memory of her brother.

"He was." Arizona smiled, "I mean in the beginning he was really freaked out by it all, but he ended up getting used to the idea and actually ended up liking it a lot more. He was glad he didn't have to worry about me with any of his friends. He was so patient and helped SO much when I came out to my parents, too."

"How did they all find out?" Callie asked.

"Derek found out soon after Cody. It was hard to keep a secret from him when his two best friends already knew, oh plus Jen, his little sister. Then one day I was at the Shepherd house and I was craving a midnight snack, so I snuck out of Jen's room and made my way to the kitchen. Michael, Derek's dad, was already eating some of Carolyn's chocolate cake."

"You two always seemed to bond over deserts," Callie pointed out.

"Michael was a good guy," Arizona smiled sadly. "I miss him a lot. I love my Dad and we are really close, but Michael was like a second father to me. Maybe because he was the complete opposite of my Dad. My Dad is strict, but loving while Michael was all soft and full of love. He was just a big teddy bear. He is where Derek got his McDreamy ways."

* * *

**June 1990**

"We meet again," Michael joked as he pulled out a plate from the cupboard and slid a slice of cake onto it. "Bon appetit."

"Thanks," Arizona grinned as she grabbed a fork from the sink.

"How are you doing, Arizona? I haven't seen much of you around here, lately," Michael pointed out. "Find a new family to hang around with? Well, I can bet a million dollars they don't make cake like this."

Arizona giggled because she knew that the reason she hadn't been around much was because she spent all her free time with Joanne. "I guess I've just been busy..."

"In the middle of the summer?" Michael asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Mhmm," Arizona nodded, "I've been doing some intense training for soccer next season. I don't want to get soft."

"Oh, I see." Michael nodded in understanding, "And here I thought you found yourself a special someone."

Arizona's fork dropped to her plate with a loud cling, "Why would you think that?"

Michael shrugged, "I might have been eavesdropping on one of Derek and Jen's conversations..."

Arizona's cheeks immediately reddened as she tried to avoid eye contact with Michael, "I...uh..."

"Want to tell me about her?" Michael asked supportively.

Arizona shrugged silently. "I- um...," but nothing came out. Arizona had so many emotions running through her head since the moment she kissed Joanne, but at this very moment, her mind was blank.

"I think it's great," Michael patted Arizona on the back as he hopped on to the counter and leaned against the cupboards.

"You do?" Arizona asked skeptically.

"Arizona, I don't know if you know this, but you've always been such a unique, special girl," Michael grinned, "You're talented, funny, smart, and if this girl makes you happy, then so be it. You have to be truthful to who you are and do what makes you truly happy. If anyone has a problem with that, then screw them."

"She makes me so happy," Arizona admitted with a large smile present on her face. "Every time I see her, my day gets instantly better," Arizona explained as she hopped onto the island counter across from Michael. "I know we've only been together for a few months, but I really do think I love her. Everything about our relationship is so perfect. I mean, when I'm not around her, it just doesn't feel right. We don't even have to be doing anything special. Just playing soccer, watching movies, or even walking around the neighborhood is enough. Just being near her... is enough. We just click, you know?"

"Sounds to me like you found love. When you find a love like that, you hold onto it. You hold onto it with everything you got, okay?" Michael smiled while Arizona nodded enthusiastically.

"I will," Arizona whispered, "I can't imagine my life without her. Even if we are just friends, I can't imagine not talking to her."

"Don't you think this is something you should share with your parents? You're so happy, I think they would like to know."

At the mention of her parents, Arizona paled, "I couldn't."

"And why not?" Michael asked.

"Mr. Shepherd-"

"Michael," Michael smiled looking at Arizona, "You're like a daughter to me, Zona. You can call me Michael."

"-my Dad would kill me. Kick me out out of the house. My Mom... I can't even begin to imagine how upset she will be," Arizona sighed sadly.

Michael pulled Arizona into a comforting hug, "Trust me, your parents are going to be fine. They love you and would NEVER kick you out."

"And if they did," Arizona whispered nervously as she looked up at Michael.

"There's always a place for you here. You know that."

"Thanks," Arizona mumbled into his shirt as she let all of the months stress go.

"And you know Zona, you're mother loves you very much. I know that your relationship has been strained in the past, but it's just because she worries about you. She wants you to be happy. I think this could be a turning point in your relationship with your Mom. Think about it."

"I will."

* * *

"...And your parents?" Callie asked, "You said that they were fine with it right?"

"Well..." Arizona sighed, "Kind of. My mother was really quiet and left for the evening to do some therapeutic shopping. My Dad stuck around and after a couple hours he came up and talked to me."

* * *

"Knock knock," Daniel said as he opened Arizona's door and peeked his head inside, "Mind if I come in?"

"Not at all," Arizona replied as she sat up in her bed.

Daniel made his way into her room and took a seat at the foot of her bed. They sat in silence for a good couple of minutes before he broke the silence, "I know you think I'm mad. Or disappointed, so I want to start off my saying that I'm not."

Arizona nodded slowly as she gulped nervously, trying to contain the tears that were beginning to form.

"But, Arizona Robbins... I have one question for you."

Arizona nodded her head for her Dad to continue. Daniel could already see the tears in Arizona's eyes forming so he put a comforting hand on Arizona's foot.

"Honey, are you still the same person that I raised you to be?" He asked softly looking into Arizona's blue eyes.

Arizona's mouth opened as she tried to reply, but she couldn't form any words. She nodded her head quickly before climbing onto her Dad's lap, crying like she did when she was five years old and her father scolded her.

"Shhh," He whispered as he rubbed her bath soothingly, "It's okay. Everything's okay, Zona. I love you. I think you are a remarkable person. You're beautiful, brave, strong, and so much more. I am so lucky to have you as a daughter."

* * *

"My mom came back later that night and made me tell her everything about Joanne as we sat down for Dinner," Arizona grinned wiping the tears that had formed in the edges of her eyes.

"What happened after that?" Callie asked Arizona curiously.

"After that, things were great. Time passed on, and we weren't freshman anymore. We were Juniors and the boys all found their first loves. Derek met Sarah, who was really awesome. She fit in perfectly with us. Cody started dating Ashley who was the blondest bimbo I ever met, but he really liked her. Then there was Mark, who found Crystal. Crystal was the sweetest thing ever. Then there was Joanne and I who were still going strong. But, as the end of her Senior year approached things got scarier and scarier. She had gotten full ride scholarships to all these amazing schools, one of them including Columbia." Arizona stopped and took a deep breath, "I was hoping for Columbia since it was near where we lived, but she was looking into USC and other schools over in California."

* * *

**May 1992**

"Prom, I have to admit, was pretty awesome," Arizona smiled as she kicked a ball over to Joanne. They were at the Park a couple blocks away from the Shepherd house playing soccer. "I mean, people make such a big deal about it, and now I can see why. It's a lot of fun. I'm actually looking forward to my own prom next year."

"I know! I had a really great time with you. I'm glad you decided to go with me because honestly, I couldn't have imagined going with anyone else." Joanne smiled as she stopped the ball with her foot and leaned down to pick it up. "Can you believe it? Only a few weeks until graduation."

"You excited?" Arizona asked with a large smiled on her face.

"I'm really excited," Joanne looked down at her green cleats, "Zona, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about. I've been putting it off and putting it off for a few weeks now. I was going to tell you at the end of Prom, but then, things happened..." Joanne let a small smile appear on her face, "And I just didn't want to ruin things..."

"Shoot," Arizona nodded with a concerned look on her face. "You can tell me."

"I chose a University..." Joanne mumbled quietly as she took a couple steps over to Arizona and took her hands into her own. "I know you said whatever University I chose, you'd be okay with..."

"And I totally meant it, Joanne. I'll work my ass off and follow you wherever you go," Arizona whispered with pleading eyes.

"Zona... I'm decided on USC..." Joanne looked into Arizona's eyes and saw them water up with tears. "I love you so much, Arizona, but I need to do this for me. I need to get away from this City, away from my parents. Plus, I love the sun, you know that, and I'm just ready to go, you know?"

"No, yeah, I get it. This is an awesome opportunity for you. Once in a life time."

"I knew you'd understand. I knew out of anyone, you would understand," Joanne let out a sigh of relief.

"I get it. I'm so happy for you," Arizona exclaimed trying to put on a happy face, but the tears running down her face made Joanne's heart break instantly. "At least we have all summer to spend time together, right?"

Joanne bit on her lower lip and looked out at the children playing at the playground. She couldn't bare to witness Arizona cry anymore. "That's where the problem lies, Zona. Freshmans have to head out the first week of June to start training and conditioning. I'll be leaving a couple days after graduation. My parents are already packing my stuff up to get it ready to leave."

Arizona opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Only silent tears rolled down her face. Arizona stood there staring at the grass for what felt like hours before she broke the silence. "What does this mean for us? I mean, long distance is hard, but I think we can work it out."

"I know we can work out one day..."

"One day?" Arizona's voice cracked as she looked at Joanne in confusion.

"I'm so sorry, Arizona," Joanne whispered letting Arizona know exactly what she was trying to say. Realization hit Arizona like a train crashing into her.

"You're breaking up with me... After everything we've been through... You're ending things?" Arizona cried out as she crossed her arms over her chest protectively.

"I just think that I'm going to have a lot going on with Soccer, School, and keeping my grades up to maintain my scholarship. I can't have any distractions," Joanne whispered as tears fell down her face.

"I'm a distraction?"

"No!" Joanne shook her head violently as she pulled Arizona into a bone crushing hug, "Well yes, but a super awesome good distraction. I know when I'm over there, I'm just going to want to be with you. I can't be feeling like that Arizona. I have to make this work for me. Please understand that I need to do this for me. I deserve to be a little selfish right now." Arizona let her arms fall to her side, not wanting to give into Joanne's embrace.

"What about me?" Arizona cried, "Why can't I be selfish and want you here close. It's not fair," Arizona broke down, finally pulling her arms around Joanne's waist.

"I know, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you," Joanne ran her fingers through Arizona's blonde curls trying to calm Arizona down. "I wish things could be different..." Joanne leaned back and looking into Arizona's eyes before leaning into kiss her softly on the lips.

"I can't- I have to go..." Arizona mumbled as she wiped her tears and pushed herself out of Joanne's embrace. "I can't do this."

"Arizona, please... it doesn't have to be like this. Let's just enjoy the time we have left..." Joanne begged as she reached out for Arizona's hand.

"I can't, Joanne! I can't just pretend like you'll be leaving in a couple weeks and everything we had will be over. I can't..." Arizona loosened her hand from Joanne's and stormed off the soccer field.

* * *

"I didn't see her again until about six or seven years later. I was shopping at the grocery store during Christmas holiday and she was there with her husband and 2 year-old daughter," Arizona let out a soft chuckle.

"What?" Callie's jaw dropped.

"High school experiment, I guess. That or she finally gave into her parent's plea to find a wealthy business man to marry. When she introduced me to her husband, he looked at me and back her before giving me the most disgusting, pig-headed grin. Like he was picturing me and her... together. But, I guess she's happy. USC did her well. She's a well-respected Architect and her husband is a lawyer. Her daughter was completely adorable. I saw her and her daughter again at Cody's funeral. Her daughter is about fifteen now, I'd imagine." Arizona shrugged dismissively. "It really doesn't matter now. All that matters is that I have my Calliope," Arizona grinned as she leaned over and kissed Callie's forehead.

"I love you too," Callie smiled. "I wish I could've been there to hold you after that experience."

"Me too," Arizona nodded quickly. "I was a mess. After that I went straight to the tree house, but I had to pass the Shepherd pool where all the guys and their girlfriends were playing chicken. Cody immediately noticed my red blotchy face and took off after me."

* * *

"Zona..." Cody knocked on the treehouse door before peeking in and finding Arizona rolled up in a ball on one of the bean bags crying her eyes out. "Oh, god, Arizona, what's wrong?" He asked rushing to her side and hugging her comfortingly. "Talk to me." Arizona began sobbing incoherent words so Cody just nodded and whispered comforting words into her ear for a good thirty minutes before they were joined by Mark and Derek walking tentatively into the tree house.

"We sent the girls home," Mark announced quietly.

"You didn't have to do that," Arizona whispered as she wiped her eyes, "I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Derek shook his head as he took a seat across from her, "What's wrong?"

Arizona sighed as she looked down at her hands, "Joanne broke up with me."

"What? Why?" Cody asked suddenly angry. "Is she crazy?"

Arizona shrugged, "She's going to college in California. She's moving on from his city and by extension, me."

"She couldn't possibly mean it, though. She loves you." Derek pointed out.

"Yeah, she does, but right now the most important thing is her education," Arizona mumbled, trying to sound as optimistic as she could.

"Damn it. I wish you were dating boys. I would kill that son-of-a... Can we get Jen to kick Joanne's ass?" Mark let out a frustrated plea to Derek.

"I'm pretty sure Joanne would win in a fight with Jen," Arizona let out a soft chuckle.

"True," Mark nodded back as he took a seat next Arizona and grasped her hand. "Look, Arizona, I know you feel like shit right now, but one day you're going to find a badass girl that will be the right one for you. Joanne just wasn't the one. I know you loved her, but it'll be okay. We're here for you, right boys?" Mark asked.

"Right," Cody and Derek both nodded as Cody leaned in and kissed Arizona's temple.

"I don't know what I'd do without you guys," Arizona admitted as she held onto Mark's hand tightly.

* * *

"See you found a badass ortho chick. That's like a billion times better," Callie teased as she wrapped her arm around Arizona and snuggled into her.

"And then some," Arizona nodded contently, "I couldn't have gotten luckier."

"Thank you for telling me about Joanne, and I'm sorry you had to go through it all," Callie whispered as she closed her eyes. "Love you."

"Love you too," Arizona mumbled as she drifted off to sleep with a pleased smile on her face.


End file.
